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Chapter 545 The Clown Leader, His Soul Leaves His Body

Under the cover of night, Dongdu resembles a lurking steel behemoth.

Countless traffic streams converge to form luminous blood vessels, surging and flowing through the gaps in the concrete jungle.

Fang Cheng gazed at the bizarre and dazzling night scene, his eyes flickering slightly.

I don't really know Shen Wei very well; most of what I know about him is hearsay.

But it cannot be denied that he was indeed good to himself.

From the very beginning, when he worked as a sparring partner at the club, Shen Wei, as the backer and owner, offered him a top-tier salary in the industry.

Later, Manager Li even selected him as the outstanding employee of the year and hired him as the club's spokesperson.

That was when I had just awakened my system and was in the early stages where I was most in need of money to buy supplements and cultivation resources.

At the same time, my grandfather's cancer worsened, and he stayed in the intensive care unit every day, spending money like water, which put the family's financial situation in dire straits.

The mother and uncle were worried and borrowed money from all sides to raise the expensive surgery fees.

The red envelope and high salary given by Shen Wei relieved the family's urgent needs; it was truly a timely help.

More importantly, after Shen Wei guessed that he might be the murderer in the "port warehouse family murder case," he did not use this as leverage to blackmail him into doing dirty work or to seek any benefit.

Instead, they valued their own potential for development and chose to keep the secret.

This behavior can be described as a shrewd investment and a rare display of chivalry.

Although this person comes from the underworld, he has a long-term vision and is very particular about his work. He is completely unlike other gang leaders who are opportunistic and treacherous.

Fang Cheng has always been a grateful person.

If others treat me with respect, I will treat them with even greater respect.

Both morally and logically, we must lend a hand in this matter.

"only……"

Fang Cheng frowned slightly and placed his palm on the windowsill.

Repaying a debt of gratitude is one thing, acting rashly is another.

What unknown truth is hidden in that so-called orphanage?

How many members does the "Blood Thorn" mercenary group have, and what is their specific strength?
In the absence of sufficient intelligence, rashly intervening in a battle involving supernatural beings of this level is tantamount to walking a tightrope over a cliff.

If you make a mistake, you could lose everything you've worked so hard to build, and even your life.

Fang Cheng is not a saint.

As the leader of the Illuminati, with the safety of many people at stake, he had to calculate the costs and risks.

"A special orphan... Arrest... But don't kill Shen Wei..."

Fang Cheng muttered to himself, when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him.

If what Ah Le guessed was true, the Bloodthorn Mercenary Group kidnapped Shen Wei not for money or territory, but for the children with special abilities in the orphanage.

Then, the cause and effect of this matter can be fully explained.

As my thoughts raced, Cheng Jiashu's warning words from a few days ago in the TV tower lounge resurfaced clearly in my ears.

The Xiao family, representing the Noah Organization, is working closely with the military to advance a major project called the "Human Gene Decryption Project."

They need a large amount of "active material" during the experiment.

The so-called active materials include wild, unidentified individuals who are not on the government's census list and have no one to rely on.

To this end, they even offered a high bounty on the black market in Night City.

When all the clues are pieced together, the truth becomes clear.

This is not a simple gangland feud; it is pure predation.

Once those children fall into the hands of these people, they will certainly not have a good ending.

Instead, it was a cold operating table, the despair of being imprisoned and tortured, and an inescapable hell!
Thinking of this, the hesitation in Fang Cheng's eyes completely disappeared, replaced by a chilling aura.

If it were merely to repay a favor, he might have considered it more carefully.

But when it comes to using children as guinea pigs for live experiments, that crosses his bottom line.

It is worth noting that when Fang Cheng founded the Illuminati, he solemnly made a vow to Lin Chuqiao, the professor, and other core members.

The organization's mission is to be a beacon illuminating the dark world and to shelter those who yearn for a normal life but are not accepted by society.

If I were to choose to ignore these isolated and helpless children today...

So the lighthouse collapsed before it was even truly completed.

How can one's thoughts be clear when looking back in the future?

After careful consideration, Fang Cheng had made up his mind.

He then turned around and his gaze fell on Ah Le, who was still kneeling on the ground.

The man's wound reopened because of his earlier struggle to get up, and the bright red blood completely soaked through the bandage around his waist.

The pain caused his body to tremble uncontrollably, and large beads of sweat streamed down his face.

But he still stood tall, his knees rooted to the ground.

It seemed that he was prepared to kneel there indefinitely unless Fang Cheng agreed.

"Get up."

Fang Cheng's voice remained calm, but the coldness in his tone had dissipated considerably:
"I'll take on this task."

Ah Le suddenly looked up, and his eyes, which had been dimmed by despair, instantly lit up, as if a dying ember had been reignited.

But instead of getting up immediately, he braced himself with his hands on the ground and slammed his forehead heavily against the floor with a thud.

"Mr. Fang, if we can save the chairman this time, Ah Le's life will be yours from now on!"

His voice was hoarse and dry, yet it conveyed a sense of determination:
Even if I am shattered to pieces, I will not utter a word!

Fang Cheng looked at the spirited man at his feet and sighed inwardly.

To go to such lengths to save the leader he followed truly deserves our respect.

As for Ah Le's abrupt arrival at his home, he was driven to a dead end, so it's no wonder he came here.

If I were in that situation, I probably would have made the same choice.

Fang Cheng then walked up to A-Le, reached out a hand, and grabbed his arm.

"Don't kneel, a man's knees are worth their weight in gold."

As he spoke, he exerted a slight force on his hand.

A tremendous force suddenly surged through him, and Ah Le didn't even have time to react.

She was lifted up as easily as a baby and then gently pressed into a chair.

Fang Cheng turned around and walked to the coffee table, picked up a paper cup, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to A-Le.

Ah Le gratefully extended both hands to accept the cup, the warmth of the cup traveling down his fingertips.

His lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but because his throat was tight, he could only utter a few incoherent sobs.

"Okay, stop talking nonsense."

Fang Cheng didn't give him a chance to continue his emotional appeal. He waved his hand, and his gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Since we're going to take action, we must first find out what the other side is all about."

"You just said that the Bloodthorn Mercenary Group had three members involved this time. Besides the skinny guy who can turn invisible, the foreign devil who set fires, and that muscular monster who eats people, who else is there?"

"There's another person."

Ah Le took a big gulp of water to quench his thirst and forced himself to calm down again:
"However, this fourth person did not make a move from beginning to end."

"Oh?"

Fang Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly.

"That person must be their leader."

Ah Le frowned, his mind racing as he tried to recall the terrifying scene from last night:
"He wore a comical clown mask, dressed plainly, and was of medium build. If it weren't for the gun he was holding, he would have looked like any other passerby."

"But he gave me the most dangerous feeling, even more terrifying than that man-eating monster."

A look of apprehension crossed Ah Le's face, and his grip on the water glass tightened involuntarily.

"I remember it clearly. That muscular monster was in a bloodthirsty frenzy. He smashed the old black man's head with one hand and opened his mouth to devour the corpse." "The man wearing the clown mask just coughed lightly."

"Then, the monster immediately shuddered like a tamed wild dog, released its grip, tossed the corpse aside, and obediently went to hunt down the others."

At this point, Ah Le swallowed, his throat feeling dry again:

"Anyone who can suppress such a bloodthirsty monster must be a formidable character with unfathomable strength."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly, making a mental note of it.

These mysterious figures, who remain silent and unassuming, often possess unpredictable abilities and are the most difficult to deal with.

After a moment's thought, he then asked:
"Where did they go after they kidnapped Chairman Shen? Do you know?"

"I don't know the specifics."

A look of conflict crossed Ah Le's face:

"Based on my speculation, after they captured the chairman, they will only go to one of two places."

"Either continue to that orphanage, or return to the East City Club headquarters."

"This afternoon, despite my injuries, I sneaked to the vicinity of these two places, found a high point to look out and observe for a long time, and found that everything was calm and there was nothing unusual."

"This shows that the chairman has not yet yielded or compromised, and their scheme has not succeeded."

"So, my idea is to keep an eye on these two places, wait for them to show up, and then have Mr. Fang come forward to negotiate with them to see what they really need and whether a peaceful solution can be reached."

Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng frowned slightly.

Doing this is purely a matter of luck, almost like waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump.

What if the other party has no intention of going to those two places at all? Wouldn't we just have to wait around indefinitely?

We're in a really passive position.

Seeing Fang Cheng shake his head, seemingly dissatisfied with the plan, Ah Le panicked and quickly added:

"Oh, right! There's one more detail!"

“My hearing is better than that of an average person. While I was running away, I vaguely heard the leader answer a phone call.”

“There was a lot of noise, but I’m sure I heard the words ‘Jiangdong CBD New Area.’ He also said… he would send a helicopter to pick up the goods.”

Fang Cheng was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

Jiangdong CBD New Area is the most prosperous financial center in Dongdu, where every inch of land is extremely valuable.

It was full of skyscrapers, buildings so densely packed they resembled a concrete jungle, and the streets were narrow and congested.

Where are there any facilities where helicopters can land safely and pick up and drop off goods?

unless……

Fang Cheng turned to look out the window, his gaze passing through layers of building shadows, looking at the brightly lit area in the distance.

In a bustling urban area, a place where one can avoid the sight of crowds and is suitable for a secret "cargo" transfer by helicopter.

There is only one possibility.

That's the rooftop of a skyscraper.

Many skyscrapers are designed with a helipad on the roof.

A glint flashed in Fang Cheng's eyes.

Based on the black market missions that the Xiao family has offered as bounties in Night City, the "goods" mentioned by the Bloodthorn Mercenary Group are clearly the aliens they have captured.

In this way, the answer is obvious.

After all, such a sensitive transaction involving live animals is prone to unforeseen circumstances if conducted on the ground, attracting the attention of special investigation teams.

Air transport is undoubtedly the safest and fastest way.

To intercept them, unless you can fly or also pursue them in a helicopter, you can only watch helplessly.

Upon realizing this, most of the fog that had been swirling around me dissipated.

Fang Cheng immediately looked up and glanced at the wall clock, whose hands were currently stopped at 10:30.

There is an even more important point.

Such shady dealings could never be carried out in broad daylight; nine times out of ten, they would be done in the dead of night.

Right now, those thugs are likely on the rooftop of some skyscraper.

If we want to save lives, now is the time to race against time.

However, we cannot rush in on a whim; necessary intelligence work must be done in advance.

The information Ah Le has provided so far is clearly insufficient to support a successful raid.

"Just wait for me."

After careful consideration, Fang Cheng had already come up with a preliminary plan.

He didn't explain further, but simply gave Ah Le a single instruction.

Then, he walked to the open space in the center of the living room and sat cross-legged on the floor.

With hands hanging naturally at your sides and back straight, your breathing rhythm quickly becomes long and even.

In just a few breaths, he became completely still, as if he were an old monk in deep meditation.

Ah Le held the disposable paper cup, sitting stiffly in the chair, looking bewildered.

He looked at Fang Cheng, who was resting with his eyes closed, and his eyes twitched involuntarily.

Is she... sleeping?
Moreover, at this critical juncture where things are extremely urgent?

For a moment, Ah Le felt a sense of absurdity and wanted to urge him on, but he was intimidated by the invisible aura emanating from Fang Cheng.

He stared at Fang Cheng's calm and expressionless face, and suddenly all sorts of rumors about superhumans flashed through his mind.

I've heard that true masters possess extraordinary and unpredictable abilities.

Perhaps Fang Cheng, like the legendary immortals, has his primordial spirit leave his body and wander beyond the mortal realm?

Thinking of this, Ah Le suppressed his anxiety and swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Since we've placed our bets on them, we have no choice but to believe them wholeheartedly.

The room fell silent, a silence that felt somewhat oppressive.

Only the old-fashioned wall clock emitted a monotonous, mechanical chime.

"Click", "Click".

Each sound felt like a blow to Ah Le's taut nerves.

The wind outside seemed to have picked up, causing the aluminum alloy window frame to vibrate slightly.

Ah Le dared not move, afraid of disturbing Fang Cheng, and could only maintain that stiff posture.

The wound in his abdomen was still throbbing, and cold sweat trickled down his temples, dripping into his collar and bringing a sticky chill.

He frequently looked up at the hands of the wall clock, then stared intently at Fang Cheng, who remained motionless.

Every second that passed was torture for him.

ten minutes.

twenty minutes.

As the clock struck eleven, a modified sports car sped past in the distance, its ear-piercing roar breaking the silence inside the room.

Just then, Fang Cheng, who had been as still as a statue, trembled slightly with his eyelashes.

Then, those tightly closed eyes slowly opened.

There was no lingering sleepiness in it, but rather a clear and bright atmosphere.

Like two bottomless pools of cold springs, with a faint, unsettling golden light flashing by.

"Mr. Fang?"

Ah Le had been staring at him, and upon seeing this, she immediately leaned forward and asked eagerly:
"So, can we move out now?"

(End of this chapter)